How might an exceptional manager balance being both effective and efficient?

Organizational skills are part of the qualities that would enable an exceptional manager to be both effective and efficient. Effective leaders know what needs to be done to ensure that the results are proven and reliable. Efficient leadership enables the workers to get the results in a timely manner enabling the organization to be more successful. To balance the two, a leader should promote an atmosphere of mutual respect and be an encouragement to the employees. An effective and efficient manager will be willing to go into the "trenches" with the employees and work side-by-side to promote learning for all involved. To be both effective and efficient, the manager must be willing to study the situation from all angles to ensure that both time and financial resources are utilized to meet the needs of the business.

Delegation is a significant tool that allows an exceptional manager to balance being both effective and efficient. Successfully leaders use delegation as a resource to more effectively and efficiently perform their duties and responsibilities. Outside of handling their job, an exceptional manager is tasked with ensuring their team members' tasks are also completed timely and correctly. With that, delegation provides a manager with the ability to get things done, encourage their employees to step up, and cultivate a collaborative working environment. When managers don't delegate and believe their way is the best and only way, it establishes a culture that lacks trust and accountability for lower level staff. In addition, without delegation a manager can become burnt-out and overwhelmed, feeling that they need to complete everything. Delegation assists the manager in balancing being effective and efficient and allows all team membership to flourish and showcase their abilities.

Creativity is an attribute that makes a manager both effective and efficient. Managers are often faced with challenges that may not have obvious or proven solutions. Therefore, they have to be creative and find ways of overcoming challenges to meet set targets and organizational goals.
Striking a balance between being efficient and effective in an organization requires managers to understand organizational policies, guidelines, rules, and regulations. It is important for managers to know their boundaries, especially when making decisions. Furthermore, a good interpretation of rules and regulations ensures that minimal errors are made on the job.
Managers must have a high level of emotional intelligence. They should be in a position to understand what their subordinates feel about various issues. Moreover, they should ensure that employees are comfortable with the tasks that they are performing. This high level of intuition is important when planning a project or assigning tasks as a manager will quickly determine the strengths and weaknesses of different team members.
An exceptional manager should be knowledgeable in his or her field of expertise. The manager must be in a position to answer any questions from his or her subordinates. Taking professional courses is advisable as it enables managers to be updated about their professions.